Friday, July 8, 2011

Living Room Reveal

I'd say it's about time I share some pictures of OUR house with you! After getting some advice from friends, Ryan and I decided the strategy for our beloved first home would be to concentrate on one room at a time. {Hence my tagline!} Our first priority quickly became the room we spend the most waking time in... our living room.  

This is what it looked like when we bought the house... 

Needless to say "log cabin" wasn't exactly the first impression we were trying to go for in our first house. But we knew just how to fix it...

First, we decided to have our floors refinished before we moved in {best decision ever}.
Original hardwoods all sanded down. 

It was fun to choose a new stain color... 

And a few days later... 

Tah-dah! 
Ok, so the wood tones are clashing a bit, but stay with me here...  

The next step was to tear out ALL the trim - EVERYWHERE. Out came all the interior doors, door casings, baseboard, and window trim throughout the entire house...

Proof!

Now it's time to do something about that wood paneling. We desperately wanted to lighten up the room, but we wanted to try something a little different than just straight up painting it. 
So after sanding and cleaning... {say hello to hubs}

My mother in law and I white washed the wood... 

I have to admit the white wash does not photography well at all, so you guys will have to take my word for it. We absolutely love the way it looks! It lightened the room tenfold, but didn't completely compromise the wood look. 
This photo gives the best representation of the white wash, similar to pickled wood.   

Next was tackling the fireplace... 

It's so going white...
Ahh, so much better! 

Once all the fundamentals were complete it was on to the furnishings - my favorite part! 

So let me remind you one more time of that very brown BEFORE... 



And now...






































Home Sweet Home.

80 comments:

  1. Saw your post on Carmel's blog today and had to come check out your living room. It looks amazing! What a transformation - enjoy your happy space!

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  2. Wow! I love what you did to the panelling-so much more interesting then just painting! The room looks awesome!

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  3. Where did you find that sectional? It's great, love the finished look!

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  4. What a difference! :) From soooo brown to nice and light and lovely! Good work! :)

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  5. Your room looks gorgeous, like out of a magazine. I'm going to love following you.

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  6. Wow- amazing job! I love that you tried something different and white washed the paneling. It is unexpected, but provides such great texture and depth to the room instead of just a flat wall paint.

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  7. Holy smokes!!! That is quite the transformation there! I love the white wash and I am afraid I would have suggested painting it! Boy would I have been wrong. It added a nice element to the room.

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  8. Your living room looks amazing! Such a difference from before :)

    Kristy
    www.idesignlove.com

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  9. Um, can you please come be our designer when we find a house? thanks so much. ;) Looks amazing and love all your furniture.

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  10. Oh wow it looks amazing! Such a difference!
    xo
    Alexa
    www.theshortandthesweetofit.com

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  11. wow girl it looks amazing :) i agree with jocelyn in flying you to chicago to help us design our rooms when we find a house!

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  12. Hey Rachel! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I wish we had refinished some of our floors before we moved in, but alas, we didn't have time. We'll make do. :) Your transformation is fabulous--looks like a completely different room. I especially like the glam mirrored dressers against the pickled wood. :)

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  13. You did such a beautiful job! Refinishing the floors and painting the fireplace white made all the difference. Bravo! xx

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  14. I LOVE THIS! I love your blog (new follower, obviously), and can you help me decorate my house when the time comes? The before and after seem like they belong in a magazine!!!

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  15. home.sweet.home. for sure!!! amazeballs girlfriend! all you need is a little love and patience and look at all that beauty! love love love the whitewash walls! work it!

    xo.
    Sc.

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  16. Wow, you guys have done a great job!! I'm loving the coastal vibe you have going on, and the whitewashing on the paneling looks fab. Well done, I can't wait to see what you have in store next!

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  17. I am in love with this room! Awesome job Rachel and Ryan!

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  18. Lovely transformation! Love the painted white fireplace. The whole room look so much more brighter and airier now. Great job, looking forward to see more projects in the future!

    Jessie
    www.mixandchic.com

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  19. That's a great solution for the wood paneling! I would hate to completely cover it, as well, and I love what you did. Good job on the floors, and docor, too. It's a lovely, happy room.

    Popping over from Serenity Now!

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  20. Oh my goodness! What a wonderful transformation! I have dark trim and a brick fireplace. I wish I was brave enough to paint it white. I keep going back and forth about it. It brightened up your place so much! I may just for it!

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  21. wow, that is a stunning transformation! Seriously...before I scrolled down I tired to imagine what I thought you would do and it was even better than I ever could have imagined. GREAT JOB!

    -Emmy

    www.sprinklesoneverything.wordpress.com

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  22. WOWOWOWOW- You guys really gave the space a CHIC look...very nice!! :)))

    www.madebygirl.com
    madebygirl.blogspot.com

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  23. Ah, gorgeous!! Great work--I think white washing that dark paneling was totally the way to go, a nice compromise instead of standard paint! Are you planning to post your sources on here? I love all your pieces, especially those mirrored dressers/consoles by the fire place! Curious where they're from!! Can't wait to see more transformations of your new place! Xo, Katie

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  24. wow - what a wonderful difference. hard to believe it's the same space. I know you will enjoy it for years to come. great job...donna

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  25. It's so perfectly gorgeous! What a transformation!

    I am following you now, and I hope you get a chance to check out my blog too!

    ciao from Newport Beach

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  26. Wow, it looks gorgeous! I absolutely love the colors you've chosen. Such an amazing transformation!

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  27. What an amazing transformation. The color of the hardwoods is gorgeous and the whitewashed paneling is fantastic - you must be thrilled!!

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  28. WOW! What a transformation and I just love your style. The mirrored chests, the area rug, the throw pillows...really love so many details here! :)

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  29. What a transformation ~ looks fantastic!!

    xoxo Laura

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  30. I love the fact you chose to think outside the box and whitewash the timber instead of painting. It gives a great contract of luxury and rustic, and you've got some gorgeous, gorgeous pieces as well! You should be very proud.

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  31. Such a gorgeous makeover. Wow!! I can't believe how different it looks. I'm loving your mirrored dressers too--beautiful!!

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  32. Wow wow wow! It looks like a completely different room! I love the white washed walls and I LOVE that you painted the fireplace! It's just perfect!

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  33. amazing transformation, love the white and the decor. Simply beautiful


    http://www.etsy.com/shop/Rosabellebyvasu

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  34. Holy ****!!! I just had to bleep the whole thing because this is such a ridiculously amazing transformation!!! I can't even believe it is the same room!!! And it is absolutely gorgeous...so glad you came to visit because *clearly* I am missing out!!! (c:

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  35. Omg! I can't believe this is the same room! What an amazing transformation!

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  36. So so beautiful! You really out did yourself :)

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  37. This looks amazing!! Great job!

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  38. This is seriously an AMAZING transformation!!! You guys did an incredible job! Found you via Emily A. Clark blog.

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  39. I just found your blog via Emily A. Clark....gorgeous transformation!!! I love every detail you added to your room. Very comfortable and chic at the same time. Happy weekend.

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  40. the room looks fabulous! please share how you hid the tv cables? we have a mounted tv above our fireplace as well and have been trying to find a solution to the cables as well as a place to put the digital box and dvd player.

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  41. Oh my goodness! Just beautiful! Wow the brick fire place is perfect. I really like your color of your drapes!
    I am your newest follower. I would love for you to spot by a visit my blog and follow me too. :)

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  42. AMAZING! I love what a difference the whitewashing and the floor refinishing made in the outcome! Great, great job!!

    xoxoxo

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  43. I'm new to your blog. Hi there! This room is fabulous! So many nice things I could say but this is what I tell my clients (usually the husband...haha!) "Just cuz it's wood doesn't mean it's good!" Love you room! You kept the wood but made it SO much nicer :-) Great job!

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  44. That is fantastic! You have given me hope! Love!

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  45. This is great! I have been thinking about white washing the ceiling in our place. No I'll really have to think about it...and replacing our trim!

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  46. What a clever idea! I love it!

    http://bjdhausdesign.blogspot.com/

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  47. Looks stunning, looking forward to following you.

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  48. Truly beautiful...I love all of your attention to detail.

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  49. oh my goodness, what a difference! i love your mirrored cabinets :)

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  50. wow! it looks amazing. you two should be so proud. and how fun to feel like you truly created your home.

    xo, lizzie

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  51. Wow! What a difference! Beautiful!!!

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  52. What an Amazing transformation! It's looks absolutely fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
    mymulberrytree.blogspot.com

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  53. You did an outstanding job! I'm your newest follower. Come follow me back at www.alivedinhome.blogspot.com

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  54. I love what you did here! It's great to see original details repurposed and updated. The color palette is beautiful too, very soothing...

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  55. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Before and after pics are amazing! I've been looking for a sectional and haven't found the right one :( But I fell in love with yours the second I saw it! Please, please post where you bought this!

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  56. I could just stare at this room for DAYS. It's completely magazine-worthy and amazing!! If you'd have said "we're going to pickle the walls," I might have thought you were crazy... but then I would have seen it and known that you're pretty much a genius. :) LOVE this room!

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  57. Love it!!! Great job and I love your taste! Would you mind sharing where you found the blue/green throw pillows. I've been looking for that exact color!!

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  58. You know I love how this room has turned out. I've probably left a comment already (weeks ago) but it is worthy of another!

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  59. @Katie

    Katie - the blue/green throw pillows were a lucky find from Tuesday Morning! The chevron pillows are from Etsy.

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  60. WoW ... in my singing/talking Oprah voice ... "Looove it!"

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  61. I absolutely LOVE that you kept the wood paneling and white-washed them! So fresh and pretty. Count me in as a new follower!

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  62. wow amazing cabin, and you know what? I would have left the house like it was in the first photo since I love that kind of old wood look, but the result is very awesome as well, good job!

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  63. I loved the way this space turned out! We have very similar taste in home decor, colors, etc. Y'all did a great job!

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  64. Can you please tell me where you got that sofa?

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  65. Love everything you did. It's beautiful.

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  66. We are buying a house with wood paneling and are wondering what to do with it. This just might be our answer! Thanks for posting.

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  67. Finally a solution the husband agrees to! Thanks!

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  68. Hi, I thought I posted earlier and asked this, but now I don't see it. Can you tell me what color stain you went with on the floors? I love it and am having my hardwoods refinished soon, so I would love to know. I stumbled upon your blog via Pinterest and I LOVE everything you have done! Beautiful home!

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  69. Do you know the name of the stain you ended up going with? I love the floors!

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  70. Really a stunning room. I love everything you've done; it looks quite eclectic and pulled together without being "overdone" or "stuffy." Very sophisticated but very comfortable and liveable too. I've never been a big fan of mirrored furniture, but the two chests on either side of the fireplace are absolutely perfect for your room. (I may actually be a convert after seeing them) You are an incredibly talented decorator.

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  71. What is the stain that you used for the paneling?

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  72. What stain did you use on the panelling? Did you roll it or rag it?

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  73. I never saw where you said what you used to stain or whitewash the paneling. Can you sent that info?

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  74. How do you do the wiring for the TV?

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